Trial & Punishment
by Tycho
Summary: An answer to the Wizengamot challenge on WIKTT. Someone is on trial for Murder... Chapter 5 is now up. Sentence is passed
1. Narcissa

Trial & Punishment

Disclaimer: JKR owns all! No money made here.

Summary: Answering the Wizengamot Challenge on WIKTT. Someone is on trial for Murder.

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"Order! Order!" The gavel banged repeatedly as the previous prisoner was dragged away, shrieking, and the next one brought forth. Unlike her predecessor, she was calm, almost unnaturally so. The privileged, or cursed as it seemed to some, in the galleries were shocked to see a look of disdain on her delicate features. They had witnessed literally dozens of expressions since the War Trials had started. Everything from sheer terror to blazing righteousness. But this mere slip of a girl held everyone who dared meet her gaze in contempt.

Finally the room quietened enough for the bailiff, an officious looking little man standing as tall as he could in front of the Interrogator's panel, to be heard. "Trial 843: Hermione Granger is this day, October thirty-first, charged with Murder Most Foul - the Assassination of the Minister of Magic at the instruction of He Who Shall Not Be Named. Head Interrogator shall be Percival Ignatius Weasley, Minister for Justice; counsel for defence is Terry Boot."

The chamber had gone deathly quiet. For years, they'd searched out the killer of Cornelius Fudge who had been found dead in his office six months after the Boy Who Lived graduated from Hogwarts. And now, it seemed, they had found her.

The Minister for Justice leaned forward, peering intently at the face of this alleged murderess. Once, he had thought her to be so full of promise, but now? She met his gaze and sneered in return. He harrumphed and began the proceedings. "Miss Granger. How do you plead to these charges?"

"Considering that Fudge was Voldemort's unwitting puppet," the onlookers gasped at the use of the Dark Lord's name, "and that I embodied everything that his precious Death Eater's despised, I really don't think he would ask me to kill the only person with some control over Albus Dumbledore, do you? These charges are patently ridiculous, as are these entire proceedings and I refuse to take part in this farce you call a trial."

"Let the record show that the accused has entered a plea of Not Guilty. Call the first witness!"

"The Wizengamot calls Narcissa Malfoy."

The crowd gasped as the silver haired woman walked serenely in to the chamber. Only an hour before, her husband had been condemned to the Kiss due to the testimony of her own son. At the time she had been led from the room, sobbing and cursing her offspring. Now the only evidence of her previous distress was a slight redness to her eyes. In short order, she took her seat in the witness stand, and the Minister for Justice began his questioning.

"Mrs Malfoy, do you recall where you were on the afternoon of November 13, 1998?"

The soon to be Widow Malfoy looked puzzled, "November 13th? Oh, yes. Black Friday. Such a tragic day." She paused to pull a white handkerchief from her sleeve and dab moisture from the corner of her eye. "I was at the Ministry to see Minister Fudge. Such a dear man. The world is lessened by his absence." She dabbed at her eye again.

A snort of derision from the accused was drowned out by her sole defender. "Objection, Your Honours, the witness is colouring her statements. This trial is about Fact! Not sentiment."

The Minister for Justice looked down his nose at the man standing below his exalted position. "Overruled. Mrs Malfoy, please continue. You stated that you had a meeting with the Late Minister Fudge. What was the purpose of this meeting?"

Narcissa looked around bewildered, as if the answer were obvious. "Why, to discuss the donation my husband and I were making to St Mungo's Children's Ward, of course. The good Minister approved it immediately."

"And what happened after the meeting?"

"Minister Fudge had another meeting, so I bid him farewell and left his office. It was on my way out that I saw _her._" Narcissa pointed imperiously at the accused.

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"And what was Miss Granger doing there, Mrs Malfoy?"

Terry Boot stood and called out, "Objection, Your Honour, Conjecture. Having had no prior contact with my client, the witness cannot know with certainty my client's motives for being there at that time."

" Overruled. Answer the question, Mrs Malfoy." Terry threw his hands up in disbelief at this and resumed his seat.

Narcissa smirked and answered, "She was muttering, Your Honour."

Percy blinked. "Muttering?"

"Yes, Your Honour. I do not know why she was there, but she was muttering darkly and pacing fiercely. I shudder to think what she might have been saying but I'm sure that I would not care to know, being of such a delicate nature myself. It was probably something evil and _dirty_." Some in the gallery gasped at the obvious insult implied in that statement. They, at least, disapproved of the radical views taken by the more extreme of the pureblood families.

The Minister for Justice ignored it and continued with his questioning. "And did Miss Granger see you?"

"Oh, yes, Your Honour. She looked up as I went to converse with the Minister's secretary, Millicent Bulstrode. Oh, Your Honour, the look she gave me! I've never seen such bitterness and hatred in a young witch. But the look that girl gave me would have frightened a vampire. I had nightmares for weeks after."

"Thank you, Mrs Malfoy, that will be all."

Narcissa rose and made to leave, but was halted. "A moment, if you will, Mrs Malfoy." The Counsel for the Defence was pulling some parchment from a leather briefcase. Narcissa glaned toward the Minister for Justice and then resumed her seat at his direction. Terry approached the stand with parchment in hand. "Mrs Malfoy, I realise that you've had a very trying day, and on behalf of my colleagues I'd like to extend my gratitude for your time and patience."

Narcissa inclined her head in thanks.

Terry continued, "Yes, the trial of your husband earlier today was a _ghastly _affair, but not exactly an unfamiliar situation for you, was it?"

Narcissa was outraged, "I beg your pardon, sir!"

"Twenty years ago your husband stood accused in this very room, accused of the very same crime he was convicted of here today."

"Yes, but unlike today, Justice was served! He was found innocent as he deserved!" Cried Narcissa indignantly.

Terry hung his head in mock shame, "Of course. How foolish and insensitive of me to neglect that detail. Twenty years ago, Lucius Malfoy was found not guilty of aiding You Know Who by way of Imperious. And who gave that verdict?"

Righteously, she answered, "The Minister for Justice at the time. Cornelius Fudge."

Terry gave her a broad satisfied grin. "Cornelius Fudge! Tell me, Mrs Malfoy do you recognise this record?" He handed the parchment to her.

After looking it over she replied, "Yes. This is from the _Daily Prophet._ One of their Public Works Announcements. This one is for the reconstruction of a bridge that was destroyed during the First War. Fudge Bridge enabled the Hogwarts Express to resume service." 

"Could you read me the date of the announcement, please?"

"I don't see what..."

"The date, Mrs Malfoy."

Narcissa opened her mouth as if to protest further, but then sighed in resignation. "January 17th."

"And the primary funds contributors?"

She looked to the floor in disgust, "Narcissa Malfoy on behalf of Cornelius Fudge."

"And on what date of that year was your husband's trial?"

Narcissa sneered at him, "I don't rightly recall."

Snatching back the parchment, Terry said triumphantly, "Then allow me to remind you. It was January 19th. Forty-eight hours after he received a vast sum of money from you, Cornelius Fudge set your husband free!" He spun and addressed the Wizengamot. "Your honours, I move that Narcissa Malfoy's testimony in this matter be labelled inadmissable due to bias as a result of her inappropriate dealings with the deceased!"

The court was in shock as they tried to process the news that their once beloved Minister of Magic had been corrupt. It was a difficult thought to process for most of them. Fudge's death had galvanised the Wizarding World into defying the Dark Lord and his followers. The transformation from martyr to corrupt politician was a hard one to fathom.

After much discussion amongst the Wizengamot, a decision was was reached. "Motion passed. The testimony of Narcissa Malfoy is invalid. Furthermore, the witness is to be taken into custody to be tried on charges of corruption. Bailiff! Remove Mrs Malfoy from the room and call the next witness!"

Amidst the following commotion, the bailiff could barely be heard. "The Wizengamot calls Millicent Bulstrode." 


	2. Millicent

After the court had calmed, the questioning of the late and current Minister's secretary began. Millicent had grown into a rather handsome young woman, and she smiled charmingly at the Minister of Justice. Percy sat forward and began the interview. "Miss Bulstrode, can you relate to us the events of November 13, 1998? Specifically the events surrounding your employer's final hours at the Ministry."

Millicent nodded in assent, "Certainly, Your Honour. Minister Fudge had only a light schedule that Friday, progress reports from the various ministry heads and so forth. Only two were unusual and were both in the late afternoon. The first, Mrs Malfoy, was at four followed by Granger at half past. The Minister's day was scheduled to end precisely at six, so he could arrive home in time for dinner at half past."

Percy interrupted her. "At what time did Miss Granger arrive?"

Frowning in concentration, she replied, "Around twenty past, I believe."

"And what was the purpose of her meeting with Minster Fudge?"

Millicent snorted, "You'd have to ask Granger, Your Honour, she refused to say." Suddenly, she frowned. "Actually, I just remembered. When I insisted on knowing why she wanted to see the Minister, she said, 'That's none of your damn business. If I were you, I'd be more worried about where my next pay check is coming from!' At the time I thought she was just going to complain about me to the Minister, but now..." She looked over at the woman she'd once had in a headlock and cried out, "You murdering bitch! You..."

"Miss Bulstrode! That is enough! The accused has not yet been found guilty! Please withhold your comments until you leave this place!"

Millicent seemed to struggle with herself, wanting to continue with her outburst, but eventually her better sense prevailed. It would be far better to see the Murderess get what she deserved. She could take her personal revenge later. After all, she wasn't without influence, both in the Ministry and the wider wizarding community. Being the Minister's secretary did have some perks, and a few journalists did owe her favours. Angrily she nodded sharply to indicate that she was ready to continue.

"Very well. Is there anything at all you can tell us about the Minister's meeting with Miss Granger?"

Shaking her head, Millicent replied, "No, Your Honour. The meeting was behind closed doors, and the muffling charms activated. I did hear some raised voices toward the end of the meeting, but I couldn't understand the words. The meeting lasted twenty minutes, after which _she _stormed out, looking far angrier than when she'd arrived. But before she left, she turned back and sneered in the direction of the Minister's office. Then, at about five o'clock, the Minister informed me he was going home early, as he wasn't feeling well. That was the last time I saw him. The bitch must have poisoned him."

"That is all, Miss Bulstrode. While it is widely known how the Minister died, it has not yet been determined who performed the act. You are dismissed. Kindly remember to refrain from announcing Miss Granger's guilt to the general public, at least until it has been determined that she is guilty." Percy stood and addressed the entire room. "We will now take a short recess and return in one half hour, at which time the Wizengamot shall hear testimony from Professor Severus Snape." 

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A/N sorry the chapter is so short, but I've decided to make each one limited to one witness's testimony. this means there will be a total of five chapters including the verdict. Prizes will be given out to those who can figure out if Hermione did it or not! And thanks to texasrose and Electryone for their reviews!


	3. Severus

It was amazing. The speed with which rumours normally passed from one end of Wizarding Britain to the other (Just how fast can an owl fly anyway?) seemed tortoise-like compared to the Biggest News of All Time. The _Daily Prophet_ even put out a special noon edition for the occasion. _'Assassin on Trial!' _exclaimed the headline, and in the small house that had once held seven children, Molly Weasley read the story with dread fascination. As soon as she had finished, she apparated away to collect what was left of her family. When the Wizengamot reassembled, there would be six redheads in the gallery, all there to support the young woman they knew for sure had to be innocent. 

"The Wizengamot calls Professor Severus Snape!" The nameless, officious little man who held the position of Bailiff of the Wizengamot, stopped himself from quailing at the name echoing through the chamber. He, like many in the room, held a residual fear of this Dark Wizard, left over from their days at school. Once, the rumours of the Potions Master's aptitude had been only that, rumours. But since the very first day of these trials, they had been well confirmed. Severus Snape had once been You Know Who's right hand man. More shocking, however, was the revelation that the Dark Lord's downfall had been brought about by this most trusted servant. What had stopped him taking the Dark Lord's place? None knew, but almost every Death Eater convicted, had been so due to Severus Snape's testimony.

And now, it seemed, he would add another notch to his belt.

The great double doors that led into the chamber burst open, and the Dark Wizard Himself strode boldly into the Chamber, his black robes flowing behind him. Having folded his lanky frame into the chair in the witness stand, he glanced for the first time at the young woman standing proudly erect in the dock. With that one look, he hoped to convey everything he could not say in front of those who would condemn her. 

She refused to meet his gaze.

As Severus looked away in regret, the Minister of Justice spoke. "Professor Snape. As before, I will begin with the usual question. Do you name the accused, Hermione Granger, as a Death Eater and willing follower of You Know Who?" 

Sixty seven times, Severus Snape had been asked that question. Sixty seven times he had simply answered 'I do.' As those listening prepared themselves to hear those two words again, he answered without hesitation, "I do not."

They were stunned to say the least.

Percy blinked in shock. "I beg your pardon?"

Grimly, Severus enlightened them as to his reasons. "Miss Granger is muggleborn, the very thing that Voldemort's followers despised. Moreover, she is the childhood friend of Harry Potter, the Dark Lord's most hated foe, and has been fighting at his side since she was eleven years old. She was one of the first of the new generation to join the Order of the Phoenix and helped found Dumbledore's Army. Finally, the death of her fiancé at the hands of the Death Eaters removed any inclination she may have had to change sides."

Puzzled, Percy looked through his notes, "Her fiancé? And who might that have been?"

Severus smirked, "Come, now Minister. Surely you remember that awful attack on the ministry in July of the same year as Fudge's death? The one that claimed the life of your own brother and father? Surely you remember that?"

Percy had the decency to look ashamed, as his mother fought back tears in the gallery. _'Surely now,'_ Molly thought, _'he'll end this horrible ordeal and let our dear girl come home!'_

But it was not to be. After a moment to collect his thoughts, the Minister of Justice continued his questioning. "Very well. Let the record show that Hermione Granger is not, nor has ever been, a Death Eater. But this fact does not preclude the possibility that she committed this heinous crime. Professor Snape. One the night of November 13th, you were called to St Mungo's. For what purpose?"

Once again grim and emotionless, Severus sat back to relate the events of the past. "At about 10pm, I received an owl from a Dr George Stubbs, the coroner at St Mungo's. He was undertaking the autopsy of the late Minister and in the course of his investigation, he had discovered a toxin in the body which he could not identify. As an expert in potions and poisons he wished to consult with me to determine the toxin's origins."

"And did you?"

Severus nodded, "Oh, I identified the poison alright. A rare, slow working venom from a spider only found on the east coast of Australia. It usually takes the victim of such bites days to die, an agonising slow death. Or in the single case of where the venom had been ingested, up to a week. But seeing as the Minister had been poisoned in the afternoon and was dead by sundown, the poison could not have been the cause of death, although perhaps a contributing factor. Further examination of the body revealed the presence of trace amounts of duck down in his mouth and throat. Cornelius Fudge had been smothered to death with a pillow."

"Was the poison advanced enough that the accused could have taken advantage of the Minister's weakness and killed him in such a manner?"

"Someone may have," Severus mused, "But not Miss Granger. For at the time of Fudge's death, she was nowhere near London."

"And how do _you_ know this?"

Severus smirked, "Because she was with me."

"With you?" Percy looked sceptical, as did most everyone else.

"Yes. After she returned to our home from the Ministry, we ate dinner until about 6 o'clock after which we discussed our day and news, and then retired to our bed at about eight."

As one, the court gasped in shock at the thought, and images, this confession produced. Several of the more delicate women in the gallery slumped in their chairs in faints.

"**Severus!**" Hermione cried out in anger.

"I'm sorry, my dear," he replied silkily, ignoring the glare she was giving him, "But in order to save your life, the truth must be told."

Hermione opened her mouth to say more on _that_ subject, but was interrupted by a new powerful voice from the gallery. "**Enough!**" A cloaked and hooded figure stepped forward and spoke again, the rich timbre of his voice echoing throughout the Chamber. "This ends now! The truth shall be known!"

The Minister of Justice shot to his feet and glared at the newcomer. A disruptive intruder in his courtroom? This would cease! "Wizard! Reveal both yourself and your purpose here!" 

Hands clad in black leather rose and lowered the cowl of the dark cloak to reveal a face gaunt with fatigue. Shaggy black hair framed the pale visage and piercing green eyes gleamed behind round wire rim glasses. A hint of a once famous scar could be seen on the man's forehead.

Severus named him with a sneer, "Potter!"

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A/N Thanks once again to my reviewers! Has anyone figured it out yet?


	4. Harry

"Mr Potter, while the entire wizarding world is grateful to you for ending this war," Percy grated irritably, his patience with The Boy Who Lived's interference in his courtroom grown beyond thin. "Your presence in this case is neither requested nor required."

Harry give a sneer worthy of the man in the witness box, "My presence may not have been requested, but as long as you wish to discover the truth about Fudge's death, the reasons for it and the identity of his killer, you need me."

The Minister of Justice snorted derisively, "And what could you possibly _know_ about this matter? As I recall, you were somewhere in France on Black Friday, not that anyone knew exactly where. You couldn't even make it back in time for his funeral, or are you telling me that you were so far removed from the rest of the wizarding world that you did not hear of it?" Percy was no longer bothering to veil his contempt for the boy in front of him. He had learned well under Fudge's tutelage.

Harry sighed with regret, "I'm not going to get into an argument with you over comparative ethics now, Percy. As for how I know what I do, that you will discover shortly. You will also find that I know when, I know who and I know why. And it is the _why_ that is most important in this case. It is my sincere hope that you will consider the killer's motive most seriously when deciding their fate."

"First, I shall say this. Address me by my title, _sir_, or not at all. Secondly, your relationship with the accused is well established, Mr Potter. How do we know you aren't going to fabricate some fantastic story to get her off the hook? It wouldn't be the first time, after all." Percy stared at him in accusation.

From under hooded green eyes, Harry stared back, emulating the serpents with which he sometime conversed. "Who do you think tipped you off?"

Gasps of astonishment were heard from both the Wizengamot and the gallery, reminding Harry that they were not alone and that some things should remain secret. He raised a gloved hand and muttered something under his breath. A semi transparent bubble sprang forth and expanded rapidly. Soon, only those necessary in Harry's mind were within the Sphere's limits and all outsiders could only see vague shadows, allowing them to guess at the events within.

The Minister for Justice shot to his feet in protest. "Mr Potter! How dare you! By what right do you interfere so?!"

Unlike Percy, Harry remained calm. "By the right given me by the State Secrets Act of 1944. _'Any action undertaken on behalf of the wizarding world, that if knowledge of it were made public would harm the wizarding world, shall be regarded as Most Secret, and shall only be revealed __under certain conditions.'_ This trial meets those conditions."

"Harry? What are you doing?" Hermione asked worriedly, speaking to her old friend for the first time since the end of the war.

Harry looked at her sadly, "What I must. I'm sorry, Hermione." She looked at him in disbelief as he looked around the room to ensure that only those necessary for justice to be served were within the Sphere. His gaze came to rest on the Counsel for the Defense. Terry Boot was looking about him as if in a daze. For the first time in weeks, it seemed as if one of his clients would actually go free and with little work from him at that! Admittedly most of his clients didn't deserve to go free, but he did his best anyway. And just as victory seemed assured, The Boy Who Lived showed up and ruined everything.

Terry suddenly felt that he knew how You Know Who must have felt on that Last Day. 

"I'm sorry Terry, but you don't need to be here." said Harry, calmly.

"Er, right. But what about her defense?" He nodded his head toward his client.

"Don't worry, Terry. I'll handle it."

What choice did he have? Terry shrugged and began to gather up his papers. "Alright. Your Honour, I hereby dismiss myself from this case for reasons of state security. Hermione? Best of Luck. And should you find yourself available after this, come see me. You always were the best researcher I ever knew." 

And with that he left, passing through the Sphere with no difficulty at all. Out of curiosity, he laid his hand against the outside. "Hmph. Hard as a rock."

Within the Sphere, the Minister for Justice was once again making demands of the interloper. "And what of him?" He pointed to Severus. "Surely he no longer needs to be here?"

"To the contrary. Professor Snape is involved in this on almost every level."

"Are you claiming that it was he who killed Cornelius Fudge?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Severus Snape was exactly where he said he was, as far as I know. However, his bedmate was not."

"Then it would seem that he is needed here. To answer charges of perjury!"

Eyebrow raised, Harry simply said, "Perhaps."

The inside of the Sphere was silent for a moment, before the Minister for Justice made another demand. "Well? What are you waiting for? The sooner you give your testimony, the sooner we can send her where she belongs."

Hermione was seething. "Harry. Don't do this."

Harry again looked at her sadly, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I have no choice. I gave my oath"

"And what of your oaths of friendship? Do they mean nothing to you?" She looked at him in horror and grief. "Did they ever?"

Harry closed his eyes in pain. "It is for the sake of that friendship that I do this."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. "I don't know you anymore. I don't think I ever did."

Harry just turned away and began his testimony. "The great philosopher, Sun Tzu, wrote that there are five kinds of spy. The local spy, the inside spy, the reverse spy, the dead spy, and the living spy. Professor Snape has been in his career, all five, at one point or another. But he was not the only one. We had several of all five types and without them, Voldemort would have won. We called them Spectres. However, there was one type of spy that Sun Tzu did not mention. This sixth type were few in number, and known only to myself and their individual handlers. We called them 'folds. Lethifolds. They were our assassins."

Harry held up his hand to forestall the inevitable questions and protests. "Before you ask, no. I will not reveal who they are, nor how many, nor shall I relate to your their assignments. Those are things you do not need to know, things you shall not know." He paused and glared until it became clear to the Wizengamot that he would stand by his statement. "On July 3rd of '98, a young woman who had decided to stay off the front lines, was proposed to by her longtime boyfriend. That evening as she was breaking the good news to her future mother-in-law, she lost her new fiancé and his father in an apparent Death Eater attack. A week later, after it became clear to her that the Ministry had little interest in finding their killers, she came to me, begging me to track them down. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't."

"Or wouldn't!" Hermione spat venomously from the dock.

Harry gritted his teeth and continued. "As much as I wanted to hunt down my best friend's killers and take my revenge on them, the war took precedence. But Hermione had so much anger that I feared she would take to the war personally..I've seen it hundreds of times, and it always ends in death. I couldn't bear that to happen to her, so I made her a deal. I would use all my resources to find the bastards and bring them to justice. In return, she would remain off the front lines. Instead, she would redirect her anger and skills to where they were most needed. She became a 'fold." 

"You son of a bitch!" This time, the commentary came from the rigidly still man in the witness box, his knuckles white as he gripped the front of the stand. 

Harry looked askance at him. "Don't act so surprised, Severus. After all, you were her handler."

Severus just scowled more darkly.

"Over the next few months, she and I met at least once a week, discussing anything but the war, and our respective roles in it. The first time, we had trouble talking about anything at all. We drank our tea in silence, and then I opened a Chocolate Frog. It sprang into her hand and we both remembered how much Ron loved them. After that it was easy to talk. And then every time we met she would always eat a Chocolate Frog after tea and we would talk. When I returned from the continent in November, we met again, but she didn't touch the chocolate. She never did again. It was then that I began to suspect that she blamed Fudge for Ron's death and had taken her revenge."

An unusually pale Percy asked, "Was she right?"

"At the time I didn't know. I once asked her, just after Christmas, if she had discovered herself who had killed Ron, and she said no. But she lied to me…she lied to everyone." 

"I'll ask again. Was Minister Fudge responsible for the deaths of Ron and Arthur Weasley?"

"Yes. During the fatal interrogation of Peter Pettigrew, he confessed witnessing a meeting between the Minister and Bellatrix Lestrange. In exchange for entry into the ministry where they would be vulnerable, Bellatrix would kill not only Ron, who had killed her husband in a duel the during the Graduation Battle, but Arthur as well."

"Why?" Percy asked, seemingly incapable of imagining why anyone would want to see his father dead. 

"Because Arthur was a threat to him, politically. And due to the war, Fudge couldn't use his accustomed methods to remove him. They would only make a political martyr out of him. So Fudge chose to make him into a different sort of martyr."

With the truth of his father and brother's deaths finally revealed to him, the Minister for Justice became momentarily incapable of speech, so one of his colleagues directed a question to the Boy Who Lived. "And how did Miss Granger discover this fact?"

"On October 30th, we discovered the daytime hideaway of Bellatrix Lestrange. Bellatrix had proven herself to be one of Voldemort's most fanatical and dangerous followers. Hermione was instructed to. . .eliminate the threat. I can only assume that Bellatrix gave up that information in an attempt to save her own life, or at least buy herself time to escape." Harry smile grimly at the fate of the woman who had killed his godfather. "Instead she was returned to Voldemort. In several small boxes."

"Good God!" Several of the Wizengamot looked ill.

The Minister for Justice had finally recovered his composure. "Thank you, Mr Potter. Your presence was required here today. It would seem that the accused is indeed guilty. However, in light of the circumstances, it will be necessary for the Wizengamot to take a short recess to discuss sentence. We will resume here in one hour."

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A/N So? How many have I surprised? Review and tell me! And don't miss the Sentencing which should be up in a couple of days!


	5. Sentence

Molly watched the unfolding scene behind the Sphere in apprehension, her eyes flitting rapidly from one blurred figure to the next. One question remained constant in her mind: _Why?_ Harry had been Ron and Hermione's best friend. Why would he interfere just when she was about to get off?

There was a flurry of movement behind the Sphere, which promptly dissolved. Molly caught only a brief glimpse of Hermione being led out of the dock and down the stairs to the cells. Then her gaze was drawn to where the members of the Wizengamot were withdrawing to chambers. There they would decide the fate of the young woman she still considered her daughter-in-law. Molly scrambled through the crowd to reach her estranged son before he disappeared through that door. She just had to try and make him see that Hermione could never have done such a thing. "Percy!"

The Minister of Justice paused at the threshold. Keeping his back to her, he said, "Not now, Mother."

"Yes, now Percy Weasley. I don't care what Harry told you, Hermione couldn't have killed Minister Fudge! She's not a killer!"

"Unfortunately the facts say otherwise." He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. "Father is avenged. That's all I can say for now."

Harry watched this exchange from the chair that until recently had seated the counsel for defense and allowed a small smile to grace his lips. At least one of his goals would be achieved this day.

"What the devil are you smiling at, Potter?" Severus had apparently removed himself from the witness stand to conduct his own interrogation. To say that the Potions Master of Hogwarts was angry with the Arrogant Boy Who Just Destroyed His Life, would be like saying that Voldemort was Not A Nice Fellow.

"Healing old wounds, Severus." Harry said simply. "Someday soon, the Weasleys will be a family again." He nodded over to where Molly stood with her hand over her mouth in shock. "I think that alone makes what I had to do worth while, don't you?"

"The Weasleys?" Severus asked incredulously, "They're why you betrayed your best friend? They're why you've condemned her to ...?"

Harry cut him off. "Condemned? I don't think that I've condemned Hermione to anything. On the contrary. I believe I have set her free and by extension you and the rest of the wizarding world as well."

"Set her free? Are you insane? Don't bother answering that , I already know the answer. You _are_ insane. Mad. Bonkers. Stark raving around the bloody twist and up wall!"

Harry sighed at his former teacher's theatrics. He sighed in the manner of an adult about to explain something rather simple and obvious to a small stubborn child. "Wormtail wasn't the only one who knew of Bellatrix' actions. Lucius knew of them as well. Do you really think that he is incapable of coming to the same conclusions I did? Or that he wouldn't use that information to his own advantage. And even if he didn't, there was sufficient evidence elsewhere that, if discovered, would have been enough to launch a full investigation of both yours and Hermione's activities. Only this time, there really wouldn't be any hope for her. Or you. At least this way Percy may convince his colleagues to be lenient. "

"What makes you think that there's any hope for me now? By convincing them that Hermione did kill him, you've completely destroyed the credibility of my testimony. They'll re-examine all the cases I've been involved in. Do you have any idea how many Death Eaters are going to go free because of this?"

"Oh, I hardly think so. After all, you _were _telling them the truth." Harry looked rather smug.

Severus looked sceptical. "Well, I know that! The question is, how are you going to prove it?"

Harry shrugged, "That other evidence I was talking about."

---------

Hermione trudged wearily down the cold uneven steps that led to the cells beneath the Wizengamot. Ahead and behind her marched the guards she'd nicknamed Sour Grapes and Percy Wetmore. Their true names didn't suit them at all, so she'd given them ones more appropriate to their natures. Grapes, who was behind her, never stopped bitching about his lot in life. How he'd been passed over for promotion, how his wife hated him. After listening to that through the door of her cell all morning, she was about ready to hex him till his ears bled. And she knew just the curse to do it too. As for Mr Wetmore? Well he reminded her of the character from that Stephen King movie, _The Green Mile._ Thanks to him, the whole dungeon knew when someone else had been sentenced to the Kiss. Every time said prisoner was brought back to his or her cell, Wetmore had taken great pleasure in loudly announcing that there was a new vegetable ready for harvesting. Hermione could only hope that his fate would be at least as satisfying as the fate of the character she'd named him for.

The staircase ended abruptly, startling her as it had the first time, and she looked up to take in her surroundings. To her right lay the brightly lit guardroom, from which the prisoners could hear Grapes' unending stream of complaints. Ahead lay that dark corridor, where the inky blackness was pierced only by a single guttering torch hanging precariously from the left wall. How long the corridor was, Hermione couldn't say, for her cell was the third on the right. To her left lay another corridor, equally as dark, and even more forbidding, for despite its lure of freedom, this access tunnel to an apparition point had its own guard, cloaked in darkness itself.

A Dementor.

Briefly, Hermione considered her chances as she was marched towards that third door on the right. It would be a simple matter to slip Wetmore's wand from his belt, (how dumb was he anyway? Apparently stupid enough to place his wand within easy reach of his prisoner,) immobilise Grapes and then stun Wetmore. A matter of seconds would be all the time she would need. And as for the Dementor? Well if the memory of returning her fiancés murderess to her master in pieces wasn't a happy enough memory, then surely the night of his proposal was. And then she would be gone, forever. They could never catch her, not the woman who had killed in the Dark Lord's very presence and gotten away with it.

But she would be hunted. Oh, yes they would hunt her and hound her till the very end of days. She would never be able to rest, for her infamy would spread before her wildfire on the plain. Stories would be told to frighten children to their beds, and students would learn of the muggleborn who dared kill the Minister of Magic. Was that how she wished to be remembered? Did she truly want to live as Sirius had? She had seen how hard it had been for him. She had seen how he had just exchanged one prison for another.

No, she decided as she reached her cell door. She would accept whatever punishment the would mete out to her with grace.

"Here, keep moving." Grapes poked at her shoulder.

Confused, Hermione peered up at him through the gloom. "But this is my cell."

"Not anymore it ain't. There's only one punishment for that, and only one cell we can put you in. O'course it hasn't been used in centuries, so who knows what kind of condition it's in." He gave another shove and they began marching again. Wetmore snatched up that guttering torch on the way past. Grapes continued as they marched to the distant end of the corridor. "You see, what you did? It's the only crime that they haven't gotten around to changing the compulsory sentence for. Where murder would get anyone else time in Azkaban, or even the Kiss," He shared a leer with his colleague as they reached the imposing door at the end of the corridor. "You get to be executed." 

A dark laugh came from the next to last cell. "I see I'm in good company then. They did say that I deserved death for my crimes. Although I have to say I rather envy you, whoever you are. Death would be far more preferable to my fate."

Hermione easily recognised the honeyed tones of Lucius Malfoy.

Wetmore grinned nastily as he undid the numerous locks on the apparently solid steel door, the rusted bolts squealing in protest as he manipulated them. "Burned at the stake, actually. Huh. Looks like you muggles knew how execute someone right after all." And with that Hermione was thrown bodily into the dank little room, the door booming closed behind her, the bolts slamming home with the tortured cry of metal.

And there in the darkness, she was left to contemplate her imminent death. 

----------------

If it all possible, the crowd in the gallery had swelled to almost twice its previous size and almost all of them were calling for blood. The few that weren't, were surrounded by cries for Hermione's execution. 'Death to the Mudblood traitor!' was a common catcall. The cries increased in volume when the Wizengamot returned from their deliberations, despite repeated calls for order and silence. And when the accused emerged from below and returned to the dock, they rose as one like a wave and called for her death.

In the twenty minutes it took for order to be restored, Hermione looked at the crowd only once, somehow finding the eyes of her staunchest defender. In that one moment, Molly could only find one thing to say. It went unheard through the din, but the two words could easily be read off the lips of the Weasley matriarch. "Thank you." Hermione nodded once, then looked away, her heart lighter. Whatever her fate was to be, in this world or the next, she could face it with equanimity.

It took a silencing spell to bring about order. Finally, the chamber was quiet. Finally, sentence would be passed. The Minister for Justice stood, his features grave and determined. "Hermione Granger. You have been found guilty of the Assassination of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. There is only one sentence for this crime. One that we have not had to carry out in centuries. The law states, that the assassin shall be executed, by way of burning at the stake, in full view of those whom you have wronged." Percy paused, "However. Due to the circumstances surrounding this crime, most notably the death of your fiancé and his father at the Minister's command, the sentence of death is commuted: to exile. Your wand will be destroyed, your name erased from all records, never to be spoken again. Only in the records of these proceedings shall you be known and they shall be sealed against your return. You will never again have any contact with any member of the wizarding world. Should you disregard this warning, the full weight of your sentence shall be brought to bear, and you shall die a most horrible death."

There was an extended period of silence during which the gallery tried to make their protests known, though in vain. Harry Potter merely sat with a satisfied smile on his face. He had achieved everything he had set out to do. 

The Minister for Justice spoke again. "In addition, the wizard Severus Snape shall be taken into custody on the charge of perjury, and all his testimony re-examined."

Harry spoke up. "There will be no need for that, Minister. Severus did not perjure himself."

"Then how do you explain the contradictions in evidence? Ms Granger could not be in two places at once."

"There is a final piece of evidence to be submitted. On the night in question, while Professor Snape was at St Mungo's examining the Minister's body, Hermione Granger was at the Department of Mysteries. For a period of 36 seconds she was out of sight of anyone. In the Room of Time. It is my belief that during those few seconds, she made use of a time turner to send herself back in time to the point of Fudge's death. My later examination of the records supports this."

Percy seemed to consider this for a moment. "Very well. The charges of perjury are dropped. But Professor, it must be asked: did you, either before or after the act, know of your lover's intentions and that she was indeed the Minister's Assassin?"

"No! He knew nothing! I worked alone!"

"Quiet, Miss Granger! Professor, answer the question."

Severus looked long at his lover, and stood proud and tall when he addressed his accuser. "I did."

"Then you leave me no choice. As punishment you are stripped of your titles and shall spend a period of no less than three months in Azkaban Prison once all these trials are over."

"I would request instead that I be allowed to join Hermione in exile."

Percy frowned. "Are you certain that this is what you wish?"

A quiet plea from the dock could be heard, "Severus, don't do this."

Severus smiled softly, "Be quiet, you silly girl. I do, Minister."

The Minister for Justice nodded firmly. "Then so be it. However, as it is likely the two of you may one day produce a magical child, and due to the fact that you committed a lesser crime, you and you alone Mr. Snape, will be allowed to resume contact with the wizarding world no sooner than the day your eldest child receives his letter from Hogwarts."

"Court is adjourned."


End file.
